Imprisoned Russian opposition chief Alexei Navalny resurfaces with darkly humorous feedback
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian opposition chief Alexei Navalny on Tuesday launched a sardonic assertion about his switch to a Arctic jail colony nicknamed the “Polar Wolf,” his first look since associates misplaced contact with him three weeks in the past.
Navalny, essentially the most distinguished and chronic home foe of President Vladimir Putin, is serving a 19-year sentence on an extremism conviction. He had been incarcerated in central Russia‘s Vladimir region, about 230 kilometers (140 miles) east of Moscow, but supporters said he couldn’t be discovered starting on Dec. 6.
They mentioned Monday that he had been traced to a jail colony notorious for extreme situations within the Yamalo-Nenets area, about 1,900 kilometers (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow.
“I am your new Santa Claus,” Navalny mentioned in a tweet, referring to his location above the Arctic Circle within the jail within the city of Kharp.
The area is infamous for lengthy and extreme winters. The city is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Vorkuta, whose coal mines have been among the many harshest of the Soviet Gulag jail camp system.
Navalny, who’s famous for sharply humorous feedback, mentioned he was in a great temper after being transported to the brand new jail, however urged the northern winter darkness is discouraging: “I don’t say ‘Ho-ho-ho,’ but I do say ‘Oh-oh-oh’ when I look out of the window, where I can see night, then the evening, and then the night again.”
Prisoner transfers in Russia usually lead to contact with inmates being misplaced for weeks. Navalny‘s supporters contend the transfer was arranged to keep Navalny out of sight amid Putin’s announcement that he’ll run for an additional time period as president within the March election.
Navalny has been behind bars in Russia since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from nerve agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin. Before his arrest, he campaigned in opposition to official corruption and arranged main anti-Kremlin protests.
He has since obtained three jail phrases and spent months in isolation in Penal Colony No. 6 for alleged minor infractions. He has rejected all costs in opposition to him as politically motivated.
